Improved zinc-furnace



ALOIS THOMA, OF NET YORK, N. Y.,

ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN ZINC COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVED ZINCFURNACE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 91,052, dated .Iunc S, 1869.

To all whom it may concern: y

Y Be it known that I, ALors THOMA, of the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Zinc-Furnace; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which lwill enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to a new zinc-furnace which is so arranged that it is doubledthat is to say, that the furnaces, which are usually separated, are, with their gas-generators, built together to form in a single structure the double furnace. Room, building-material, and labor are economized by this arrangement.

Y In the accompanying drawing, Figure l, Sheet I, represents a horizontal section of my y.improved zinc-furnace, the plane of section being indicated by the lines x Fig. 2. Fig. 2, Sheet I, is a side elevation, partly in section, of the same. Fig. 3, Sheet II, is avertical transf verse section of the same, the plane of section being indicated by the lineg/y, Fig. 1. Fig. 4, Sheet II, is a vertical transverse section ofthe same, taken on the plane of the line z z, Fig. l. Fig. 5, Sheet II, is a vertical transverse section of the same, the plane of section being indicated bythe line rv', Fig. 1. Fig. 6, Sheet II, is a vertical longitudinal section of the gas-generator taken on the plane of the' line y y', Fig. 1. Fig. 7, Sheet II, is a vertical longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, of

my improved muffle employed in the furnacej Fig. 8Sheet II, isa yertical transverse section of the same, the plane of vsection being indicated by the line z z', Fig. 7.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the gas-generator, which maybe adapted to any kind of fuel, it being in the; drawing represented as fitted for wood or peat.

For coal or lignite, I construct the gas-generator with a particular view to the peculiarities of the fuel.

B is thefurnace. It is provided with muffles t t, and not with pipes, as usually, as only a muftlefurnace worked by gas is adapted to produce zine cheaply, a great saving in the distilling-vessels and fuel being thereby produced, as well as a more complete distillation of the zinc ore, while the attendants will not be as much annoyed by the heat as they are by the ordinary Belgian tubular furnace.

, C are the furnaces for calcining or roasting the ore, and are heated by the gases escaping from the distilling-furnaces. D is the air-heating apparatus, arranged above the furnace C.

It will be seen in Figs. 1 and 2 that there are two calcining-furnaces, C C, 4placed together, each of them being connected with a furnace, B, and each furnace B having a gas-generator, A. y l,

E is the chimney, arranged above the airheating apparatus D, and divided by vertical partit-ions into four chambers or channels.

The two groups of calcining-furnaces, being heated by the gases that escapefrom two double furnaces, B, will furnish calcined ore for three double furnaces, andthe escaping flame of every third double furnace can therefore be utilized to produce steam. The steam necessary for operating the blast and all other appended mechanism is thus produced without any extra cost whatever.

In each gas-generator A is a, 'the-grate; b, the ash-pit, into which the requisite blast enters through the pipe d. e is the lire-chamber above the grate; j', the shaft above the same for putting in the fuel, and g the device for putting in the requisite quantity of fuel. rIhis device g is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, and is constructed as follows: f is a plate covering the upper part of the gas-generator, perforated, so that its opening corresponds to that of the shaft f. Upon it is placed and securely fastened, by means of screws or otherwise, a similarly-perforated plate, g, which has flanges projecting upward from itsedges, said plate extending-laterally beyond the sides of the gas-generator, as in Fig. 5. The plate g" is planed perfectly true on itsl upper surface. Upon it is placed a sliding plate, h, which is planed true on its lower surface, and which is also perforated like f and g". Upon theplate h is secured a pyramidal or other shaped box, l', which is provided with a cover, k",.and with a bottom, i, the latter being so arranged that it can slide in and out. Y

By I neans of a pinion, af, meshingfinto a rack, m, that is fastened tothe plate h", can

the latter be so moved that either the box l stands above the shaft f, as in Fig. 5, or that the said shaft is closed by the part o of the plate h.

If fuel is to be put into the furnace, the box l is filled with the fuel, placed over the shaft, as in the drawing, and the sliding bottom i is drawn out, so that the fuel will fall into the furnace. The bottom i" is then pushed in again, and the plate h is moved to bring its part o over the opening, when the shaft will be closed gas-tight.

h is the gas-channel, through which the products of combustion are, from the iire-chamber e, conducted toward the furnace B. These gases arrive first in the dustarrestin g chamber i, in which they deposit all the dust and ashes which they may have carried aw ay from thefuel. The dust can be removed through an aperture or apertures, 7c. Through a channel, l, the gases pass from i into the distributing-chamber m, which is a longitudinal passage extending through the base of the furnace B, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Through vertical apertures an the gases pass from the passage m into the interior of the furnace.

A door, 0, closing an opening at the outer end of the passage m, can be opened for cleaning the same. The apertures n can be cleaned through openings u in the arched cover t of the distillin g-chamber S.

Some of .the gases may from the chamber m be conducted into a pipe or pipes, r", to be ignited for illuminating the apparatus at night.

While the gases pass through the openings a into the furnace, they are mixed with air from the blast, said air entering the openin gs a through apertures p. Channels q lead the air to the openings p after it has become sufficiently heated in the apparatus l). The air passes from the main passage F, which is formed transversely under the middle of the apparatus, and which is shown in Figs. l and 4, through pipes c and w", to the apparatus D. A damper, z', in the pipe fw serves to regulate the quantity of air let into the apparatus.

The gases enter the distillingchamber S in a burning state, and envelop entirely the muffles t therein, arranged so as to heat them evenly on all sides.

The aforementioned method of conducting the blast is of the utmost importance, as it serves to produce a steadyflame and to develop great heat without injuring the supportingstructure f of the muffles.

Muftle-furnaces have heretofore been unsuccessful, as the gases were too rapidly burned, which inconvenience is completely overcome by my arrangement.

The muffles t are constructed entirely different from those heretofore in use. They were heretofore made equally as large externally at both ends. As, however, the inner ends of the muffies and -their bottoms must be stronger than the other parts, they could not be evenly fitted, and they were least full where they were hottest and where distillation was most active. They werey also generally too broad, and the contents` were too high in them, so that distillation was certainly incomplete. My muile is constructed with a special View of overcoming all these defects. They are intern ally of equal wid th at both ends, but stand higher at their inner ends, so that where the process of distillation is most active and where the heat is greatest the contents will be highest. They are no wider than is needed to let the heat penetrate to the center of the contents. My mufdes are, however, much higher, but are, by the perforated Vcentral horizontal partition w, divided into two chambers, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. This partition w will be heated to the same degree as the bottom of the mufile, and will therefore'serve to more thoroughly equalize the heat within the instrument, and a larger heatin g-surface is provided. The plate w also serves to diminish the height of the ore in the muflle andthe consequent compression, and facilitates therefore the escape of the vaporized zinc.

In order to facilitate the escape of the zincgases still more, the plate w is perforated, and allows those in the upper chamber to pass into the lower compartment. The mues are glazed or enameled on the inside, to prevent any escape of zinc through their pores. They can be made in a hydraulic press, or by any other suitable means.

a' are openings in the outer ends of the mufiles, one in each chamber of the same, for removing the remaining--that is to say, non-vapori Zed-contents. These openin gs are closed by blocks or doors, as shown. b are the pipes extending from the louter ends of the chambers, their ends being closed by cast-iron plates c', as shown. d are small openings in the plates c', to let off the metallic zinc that is in front. A collar, e', projects from each plate o', and supports a case or box, f', in the end of which a small opening, g, is arranged.

The last vapor will be condensed in the vessels f, while the gases produced from the coal that are mixed with the ore and from the oxygen of the ore escape through the opening g.

The tubes b are supported on iron bridges h', as shown..

The burning gas passes from the chamber S into the passages i, whence it enters it through short channels k into a channel, Z', and from this to the calcining-furnace C. m are openings through which the channels 7c can be cleaned. The flame passes from the calcinin gchamber G through short passages a into the heating apparatus D. The heating-chamber is, in the middle, divided by a partition, p', so that the llame from each side of the furnace may separately enter the chimney E, which it reaches through the passage o. The

chimney E consists of four separate channels,- q, which receive the burnt gases from both ends of each of the calciningffurnaces. VEach division of the chimney is provided with a separate cover, t', attached to a pivoted lever, as By means of these covers or dampa shown.

ers can the status of the ame in the chamber S be regulated with so much precision that the heat will -be equal in all parts of the same, and that the mufies will be enveloped on all sides and heated to the same degree on all sides. These advantages could heretofore never be produced on such furnaces.

The side chambers or outer vaults w of the distilling-furnaces are, in my apparatus, also heated, which aids considerably in the production of a pure zinc. Should, however, the heat become excessive in these vaults w', it will only be necessary to open the small gates e in the side plates s', and also to open the apertures a in theV covers of said vaults, in which case they will be cooled.

When the muftles are emptied the remaining ashes will not fall to the ground in amanner in which their heat and vapors may annoy and injure the attendants. The muffies are emptied into the chamber X, from which the contents, after they are cooled, can be removed through doors y. During operation the chamber X is closed by a plate or plates, Z', as shown. The doors y serve also to reach the openings m', through which the channels 7c can be cleaned. (See Fig. 3.)

If one ofthe muftles should become dam aged, so that the zinc vapors escape into the chainber S,it is at once emptied into the chamber X', which is in this case permissible, as the vapors do not injure the attendant when thus discharged into the chamber X. The contents are thus not lost, but can, when cooled, be withdrawn from the chamber X and replaced in a good muflie for further treatment.

a is the hearth-plate covering the outer part ofthe bottoms of the side chambers u'. b" are vertical metallic stayribs, and c hori zontal braces, for keeping the parts of the furnace well together. V are openings for clean-l ing various parts of the furnace, and closed by fire-brick. e are openings in the ends of the chamber s, to allow an inspection of the interior of the same. A portion of the iiame passes from the chamber s through passages fi into chambers l", that are formed in the corner pilla-rs 7c of the furnace. In these chambers l the muftles are heated before they are placed into the chamber s, so that they may not too suddenly be exposed to the great heat in the latter, which would injure them. The muftles are then, on suitable carriages, conveyed to their places in the furnace. Should the ores contain cadmium, it will be advisable to substitute, in place of one of the chambers l, an apparatus for gaining the cadmium.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with the zinc-gas furface B, of an isolated gas-generator for the production of zinc in mufes, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. rlhe arrangementof the plates f g a" and box Z', to serve for putting the fuel into the gas generator, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. The openings a for conducting the gases into the muffle-furnace, when such openings are combined with the channels for admitting the blast, substantially in the manner herein shown and described, to operate as set forth.

4. The muflies t, when constructed as herein set forth, with perforated horizontal partition, substantially as specified, for the purpose described.

5. The arrangement of the channels 7c l for so conducting the gases away from the chamber S that they will serve to heat the side chambers w', substantially as herein shown and described. l

6. The chambers X under the muffies, when arranged to receive the burnt matter from the same without injury to the attendants, substantially as herein shown and described.

7. The herein-described means of and mech anism for evenly heating and independently regulating the draft in each part or half of the furnace, to obtain even action of all parts, substantially as herein specified.

8. Utilizing the escaping llame of the zincfurnace for the production of steam, to operate the blast mechanism and other appendages of the furnace, substantially as herein shown and described.

ALOIS THOMA.

Witnesses:

FRANK BLocKLEY, ALEX. F. ROBERTS. 

